Discharge valves for pressure jugs



Filed April 18, 1955 United States Patent DISCHARGE VALVES FOR PRESSURE rues Ranold F. Quam, Fort Atkinson, Wis.

Application April 18, 1955, Serial N0.502,166

3 Claims. 01. 222-4o0.7

This invention relates to improvements in discharge valves for pressure jugs.

There are available various forms of pressure jugs wherein the liquid contents of a jug is charged by C02 cartridges and wherein the charged contents of the jug may be selectively discharged from the jug by manipulation of a valve controlling the discharge spout of the jug. The discharge valve mechanism is usually arranged so that the valve is normally held in closed position by a coiled spring, but inasmuch as a pressure jug of the type under consideration may be used to contain citrus juices or a like liquid containing food particles, said particles may collect on portions of the discharge valve structure, and particularly the spring, and contaminate the same, obstructing free discharge of the jug contents through the spout and rendering cleaning of the valve assemblage very difficult.

With the foregoing in mind it is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to overcome the above objections by providing a discharge valve assemblage for pressure jugs in which the operating parts of the discharge valve may be readily removed from the jug for cleaning purposes and which eliminates objectionable crevices and hard to clean surfaces.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a pressure jug discharge valve assemblage, a valve stem operating coiled spring molded into and encased by a soft resilient rubber sleeve, which sleeve preventsfood particles from collecting on the spring or other parts of the assemblage, serves to prevent leakage along the valve stem, and augments the valve closing action and sealing force of the spring encased therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pressure jug valve assemblage as above described whereinthe spring and rubber component may be arranged to exert a predetermined force only, so as to provide for automatic relief of internal pressure when said internal pressure exceeds a predetermined maximum,

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a pressure jug discharge valve assemblage, a combined valve operating metallic spring and encasing sealing gasket, the entire valve assemblage being susceptible of easy assemblyand disassembly and being furthermore easy to maintain in. a clean and sanitary condition.

*A furtherobject of the inventionis to provide a discharge valve for pressure jugs which is of very simple construction, is strong and durable, is relatively inexpensive, and which is well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved discharge valve for pressure jugs, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in both of the views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the upper portion of a pressure jug equipped with the improved discharge valve; and

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will appear that the numeral '5 indicates a pressure jug or container of the type illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 484,878, filed January 31, 1955. As is shown in said copending application the pressure jug may be equipped with a C02 cartridge-carrying valve which can be manipulated to puncture the cartridge and permit the flow of gas through the charging valve into the jug for the purpose of charging or aerating the liquid contents of the jug, said valve also preventing the outward or return flow of gas.

The charged contents of the jug 5 may beselectively discharged from the upper end portion of the container or jug through a downwardly directed spout 6 communicating with the upper end portion of a discharge tube 7 which opens at its upper end into a valve controlled discharge chamber 8 in the cap 9 closing the upper end of the jug 5. The tube 7 extends downwardly into the lower portion of the jug or container.

The present invention is concerned primarily with the discharge valve assemblage which controls discharge of fluid under pressure from the upper end of the tube 7 into the cap chamber 8 and from thence exteriorly through a discharge spout 6. It will be observed that the upper end portion of the discharge tube 7 is threaded into a boss portion 10 on the underside of the jug cap 9 and communicates with the chamber 3. The boss portion 10 immediately below the chamber 8 is formed with a tapered valve seat 11 which, for closing purposes, is tightly engaged by the lower tapered end portion of a rubber or composition valve 12 carried fast on the reduced lower end portion 13 of a valve stem. The valve stem, above the valve 12, also carries a disk 14 on which is seated the lower end portion of a generally cylindrical sleeve 15 which tightly surrounds an enlarged intermediate portion 16 of the valve stem. The sleeve 15 is formed of relatively soft resilient rubber which is deformable and in the assembled condition of the valve structure the upper end portion of the sleeve is deformed or squeezed inwardly so as to tightly lodge within a recess 17 formed in the threaded neck portion 18 of the valve assemblage cap 19, the latter having a central bore 26 which movably receives the upper end portion of .the valve stem. The upper end portion of the valve stem extends into an opening 21 in the valve assemblage cap 19 and is reduced and threaded into a handle block 22, the latter having a bifurcated upper portion in which is pivotally mounted, on a transverse stud 23, the curved and enlarged inner end portion of an operating handle 24.

A particular feature of, the invention residesin the encasement of a metallic coiled spring 25 within the rubber sleeve 15. The spring, acting on the valve stem disk 14,

functions, when the handle 24 is in its normal, position,

to force the valve 12 tightlyjagainst. its seat 11 toprevent the escape of liquid from the upper end of the tube 7. Due to the fact that the spring is completely encased in the rubber sealing sleeve 15 which is resilient, the sleeve augments the force of the spring.

When it is desired to discharge liquid contents from the jug or container 5, the outer end of the operating handle 24 is pressed downwardly, and due to leverage, a lift is thereby imposed on the block 22 and the connected valve stem. The slight upward reciprocation of the valve stem is sufficient to'raise the valve 12 from its seat 11 to permit liquid from the jug, under pressure, to flow from the upper end of the tube 7 into the cap chamber 8 and to forcefully discharge from the jug through the outer end of the nozzle 6. The upward movement of the valve stem, because of the force applied by the disk 14, is also effective to compress the rubber sleeve 15 and also compress the encased. coiled spring 25. The force on the sleeve 15 will cause it to tightly bind the surrounded portions of the valve stem and against wall portions of the cap surrounding the socket 17. When pressure on the outer end of the handle 24 is released the expansive force of the spring and sleeve is suflicient to urge the valve 12 into tight closing condition.

It will be readily apparent that the cap chamber 8 into which the jug contents initially discharges has smooth circular wall portions and the external exposed surface portions of the valve 12,'disk 14 and sleeve 15 are all smooth and circular, devoid of crevices. Also the entire coiled spring is completely enclosed in the smooth surfaced sleeve. Hence, there are no diflicult surface exposed to the discharged liquid and this is particularly beneficial when, the jug is filled with citrus juices or other liquid containing food particles which might lodge on exposed surfaces and contaminate the same, particularly if such surfaces were hard to clean as, for instance, the surfaces of an exposed coiled spring.

From the drawing it will be readily appreciated that the entire discharge valve assemblage may be removed from the cap 9 of the jug by unthreading the portion 18. Likewise the upper end of the tube 7 may be unthreaded from the under, boss portion of the cap, and the block 22 may be removed from the upper end of the valve stem permitting disassembly of the valve structure from the member 19 and axial removal of the sleeve from the valve stem. The smooth, external and internal surfaces of the sleeve may be readily cleaned, as may the valve stem and valve. Likewise the cavities in the jug cap may be cleaned, whereby the entire assemblage can be maintained in a highly sanitary condition.

In containers where relief for excess pressure is desirable, the valve of the present invention may be made to serve both as a discharge valve and as a relief valve. This may be accomplished by having the spring and rubber component 15 arranged to exert a predetermined force in a downward direction, which force can be overcome when pressures within the container exceed a predetermined figure.

The improved discharge valve for pressure jugs is simple, is easy to service, facilitates sanitation, and is well adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

'1. A discharge valve mechanism for controlling the discharge of fluid from a container having an end, C011'1- prising a cap mounted on an end of the fluid container, a valve stem reciprocatably mounted through said container cap, the container cap being provided with a discharge chamber into which said valve stem extends and the valve stem being formed with a stop, the discharge chamber being formed with a valve seat, and a wall portion of the cap adjacent the chamber having an annular shoulder, a valve carried by an inner portion of the valve stem movable into and out of engagement with said valve seat, and a generally cylindrical resilient sea'ling sleeve surrounding portions of thevalve stem and in engagement at one end with the valve stem stop and in engagement at its other end with said annular shoulder, said sleeve being in sealing engagement with a portion of the container cap to prevent fluid leak-age along the valve stem and resiliently reacting against the valve stem stop to normally hold the valve in closing relation to the valve seat.

2. A discharge valve mechanism for controlling the discharge of fluid from a. container having means forming .a top wall, comprising a valve stem vertically reciprocatably mounted through said top wall of the container and formed with a stop, said top wall, portion of the container being provided with a discharge chamber into which said valve stern extends, the discharge chamber being formed with a valve seat and an annular shoulder spaced from the seat, a spout extending outwardly from said chamber, a valve carried by an inner portion of the valve stem movable into and out of engagement with said valve seat, a generally cylindrical smooth surfaced rubber sealing sleeve surrounding an intermediate portion of the valve stem and having opposite ends in engagement with said valve stem stop and said annular shoulder respectively, said sleeve also being in sealing engagement with a portion of the container wall to prevent fluid leakage along the valve stem and to resiliently react against the valve stem to normally hold the valve in closing relation to the valve seat, a coiled spring completely encased by'the rubber sleeve, and an operating handle connected to the upper end portion of the valve stem, manipulation of the handle raising the valve stem to move the valve to open position; the resilient sleeve and encased spring returning the valve stem and valve to normal position when pressure on the handle is released.

3. A unitary dispensing valve assemblage, comprising a cap for removable mounting on the end of a fluid containing pressure ing, the cap being formed'with a chamber having an annular shoulder, a valve controlling fluid flow between the jug and the cap chamber, a valve stem reciprocatably mounted in the cap and extending into the chamber and having the valve mounted fast thereon, said valve stem being formed with a stop, a combined sealing sleeve and valve stem operating spring surrounding a portion of the valve stem and having opposite ends in engagement with said valve stem stop and said annular shoulder respectively, the sleeve and spring being adapted to be yieldingly compressed upon movement of the valve stem in a direction to open the valve, said spring being completely encased within the sleeve and the sleeve being generally tubular in shape with smooth surface portions, and a fluid conducting tube depending from the cap and registering with the valve controlled chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 14, 1951 

